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Now in his sixth season as Toledo’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Vince Kehres has built Toledo’s defense into one of the very best in the Mid-American Conference.
Rocket defenders have earned All-MAC honors 31 times since Kehres’ arrival in Toledo in 2020, while four were selected in the NFL Draft. The Rockets have appeared in two MAC Championship Games in that time, winning the 2022 title contest, and appeared in four bowl games.
Kehres spearheaded a complete turnaround of the Toledo defense upon his arrival in 2020. Toledo was second in the MAC in total defense (362.2) after ranking last in the league in total defense (475.7) in 2019. The Rockets, who allowed just 24.3 points per game in 2020,also led the MAC in opponent third-down conversions (27.4%) and were second in rushing defense (129.2).
The Rocket defense took an ever bigger step in 2021, leading the league in scoring defense (21.8) and defensive pass efficiency (118.8), and ranking second in the MAC in total defense (349.7) and third in passing defense (198.2). Three Toledo defenders made First-Team All-MAC: senior defensive backs Tycen Anderson and Samuel Womack, and junior outside linebacker Jamal Hines.
In 2022, the Toledo defense ranked first in the MAC in total defense (326.1), passing yards allowed (183.0) and defensive passing efficiency (112.19). The MAC Champion Rockets were 10th in the nation in defensive passing efficiency, 12th in passing yards allowed and 18th in total defense. Four Rocket defenders — senior defensive tackle Desjuan Johnson, junior linebacker Dallas Gant, sophomore cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, and sophomore safety Maxen Hook — were named First-Team All-MAC. It was the first time four UT defenders received first-team honors since 1985.
In 2023, Toledo’s defense led the Mid-American Conference in sacks and defensive passing efficiency, keying an 11-3 season and a second straight appearance in the MAC Championship Game. Mitchell earned All-America honors and was a first-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2024 NFL Draft. Mitchell was one of four Rocket defenders who earned first-team All-MAC honors, along with Gant, Hook and defensive tackle Judge Culpepper.
Four Rockets on the defensive side of the ball earned All-MAC honors in 2024, including Hook, who became just the third Rocket to earn All-MAC honors four times in his career. Kehres’ defense was instrumental in Toledo’s two biggest wins of the season, a 41-17 romp at Mississippi State and a 48-46, six-overtime victory over Pitt in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Hook and defensive tackle Darius Alexander both were selected to play in the 2025 Senior Bowl.
Kehres arrived at Toledo in 2020 after serving 21 years at Mount Union, the last seven as head coach. His career record as a head coach of 95-6 (.941) gave him more victories than any college coach at any level during that period. Kehres led his team to NCAA Division III national championships in 2015 and 2017.
In Kehres’s career at Mount Union, he led the Purple Raiders to seven NCAA playoff appearances, six Ohio Athletic Conference titles and five national championship game appearances on his resume. He is a three-time OAC Coach of the Year, three-time Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year and three-time the Columbus Dispatch Ohio College Coach of the Year.
A winner in every sense, Kehres has been a part of 12 of Mount Union’s 13 national championships in some capacity. Prior to his time as head coach, Kehres served 13 seasons as an assistant under his father and then-head coach Larry Kehres. During his time as defensive coordinator from 2005-12, the Purple Raiders’ defense was ranked in the Top 10 nationally in all but one season. Kehres coached the top-ranked defense in all of Division III in 2007, 2008, and 2012. He also served as Mount Union’s strength and conditioning coordinator from 2005-13 as well as the recruiting coordinator from 2009-13.
A 1998 graduate of Mount Union with a degree in political science, Kehres was a four-year letterwinner (1994-97) at defensive end for the Purple Raiders, a member of two National Championship teams (1996 & 1997) and earned All-OAC honors during his senior year 1997. During his playing career, Kehres totaled 62 hits and 12 tackles for loss, and he was a key member of the special teams unit. He was part of a 1997 defense that led all of Division III in fewest points allowed (5.6 ppg) and rushing defense (48.6 ypg) while posting five shutouts and setting a Raider single-season mark for sacks in a season (53 in 10 regular season games).
Kehres spent a year coaching at Austintown Fitch High School, earned his master’s degree from Ashland University then returned to Mount Union in 2000. He and his wife, Lindsay, have three sons, Evan, Bo and Jackson.
Vince Kehres’ Coaching Experience
2020-25 Toledo – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2013-19 Mount Union – Head Coach
2005-12 Mount Union – Defensive Coordinator
2004 Mount Union - Offensive Line
2000-03 Mount Union - Defensive Line
1999 Austintown Fitch High School – Wide Receivers
